A Myers-Briggs Post - Writing Other Types (Plus an Announcement!)

7:00 AM

Well hello, and happy Saturday! This is going to be my second Myers-Briggs post *pause for applause* and I'm really very excited about it.

As you may know, I'm a definite ESTP myself - that's what I blogged about last time, in this post here. I'm also a writer, of course, which is a pretty rare hobby for an ESTP, but that's another matter. What I'm going to talk about today is the fact that I very rarely actually write ESTP characters, and the struggles and things I've learned that come from writing types totally different from my own.

I really do try to vary it as much as I can. My MCs in Pariah are ESTP (I didn't say I never wrote them!) and INFJ. The characters in my other current WIP are INTJ, ENTP, and ENFJ. I've written basically every type there is, and it's certainly been very difficult. Some are easier than others, especially if I'm personally close to someone of that type, but it's more than a little uncomfortable to attempt to get so deep into the POV of someone nothing like you.

I honestly don't know.

But! Hard though it is, I do enjoy it. It's a great way to learn about other types in a way that doesn't involve actually talking to real life people is more comfortable than interrogating other types about how their minds work. I'm not THAT creepy. Most of the time.

Take my INTJ MC, Havard, for instance. I don't understand that child. I really don't. You INTJs are awesome, really, but your brains? I don't even know. You don't make sense. (That's a compliment, by the way.) Even being close to several INTJs, I've had the hardest time getting inside his head, even though he happens to be one of my characters I find myself relating to the most. He's constantly surprising me and frustrating me and making me shake my head.

Me trying to understand characters like that.

I have a lot of trouble with my ENFJs and INFJs, too. I'd rather not write them, if I had a choice. Unfortunately, I kind of need them, so they're there to stay, and I have to deal with their opinions and actions that I might shake my head at or not agree with.

And that, to sum the rambling up, is why I think it's super important to try writing characters of other types, even if it's super uncomfortable - which it is. You'll learn a lot about them, and learn to be more understanding and tolerant of other types, which is something that's always been difficult for me. You'll have to get inside their heads and learn to work with them, and who knows, maybe that could help you in dealing with other types in real life, too. Besides, sticking with just one or a few types of characters is boring, isn't it? The more you experiment and try to vary your characters, the easier it will be, and you'll have wider, more lively casts. At least, that's how it's been in my experience.

What do you think about that? Do you usually write other types? Is it easier for you than it is for me, or do you find it super difficult? What are some of the personality types of your main characters right now? Comment away and we shall discuss Myers-Briggs to our hearts' content.

And now. It's time for that announcement I promised you, one that I haven't referenced at all unfortunately and therefore shall spring on you dramatically.

I've been cooking this up for a while now, and I finally get to tell you guys. Starting in February, I'm kicking off a new blog: A Year of Short Stories!

It's exactly what it sounds like - this year, I'm doing a brave thing, and writing a short story a week (with a few weeks off) for the next 11 months. I decided to make it public to motivate me, so I'll be posting my short story of the week on that blog every Saturday, for you all to read and enjoy. So...pretty please follow that blog if you're interested? No pressure, of course, but for those of you who want to, it'll be a chance to see little samples of my writing without it being forced on you here! Yay!

So, I guess that's all. *disappears*

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Myers-Briggs types are so useful for writing realistic characters. I'm an ISTJ, but for my next novel I really want to make my main character the exact opposite from me, an ENFP. I remember reading a post by Stephanie Morrill on the Go Teen Writers blog in which she said that by writing a character completely different from her, she finally wrote a publishable book. Hopefully it'll work for me.

They really are! I was able to take my characters a lot deeper when I started figuring out personality stuff. It really helped me understand them. And writing different characters helps a lot for me, at least - best of luck! And thank you...I'm excited to write them. :)

I'm an INFP and I got cast as an ENTJ in the show I'm in. It's a bit frustrating trying to get inside her mind and it's a pretty different part than I tend to play, but I'm hoping it'll be a great learning experience for me and that I can stretch my horizons as an actor :)

I have trouble writing ENTX characters. Very specific, I know. I find it quite easy to write other characters but that might be because I've read so much stuff about MBTI. I dunno? I think I'm INFJ or ENFJ and as it turns out, I rarely write characters with those personalty types. I guess I find them a little boring!

I'm an INTJ, and I really struggle writing types that have F or P. I've written several ISFJ's, and I find them okay. At the moment, my MC is ISTJ, and for me, it's really easy because I'm only just N, rather than S.

In one of my stories, I have twins, ESTP and ESFP and they are sooooo hard to write, especially the ESFP because of the FP. Myers-Briggs is so helpful with developing characters. I could spend hours talking about it.

I AM AN INTJ. Mwha ha hahaha. I actually am not sure what personality type I usually write. I think I write a lot of extroverts. I think I do so because I'm a wickedly shy introvert so I love voraciously through my writing. I'd be interested to actually go and take quizzes for my characters AWK. You inspire me. x)

I have one character who is an ESTP and I didn't find him too hard (despite my being an INTJ, thanks for the compliments by the way) but that may be because I didn't have to write from his POV. I've only ever written one character who was an INTJ and he was the antagonist . . . not cliche at all there. I have a lot of difficulty with Fs and Ps . . .I don't understand how people don't like the world to be organized or how people can trust their emotions enough to base decisions on them. (blows my mind). Great post. Sorry if this comment was overly long. I'm WAY too obsessed with MBTI.Oh! One more thing. There's a website called oddlydevelopedtypes.com which is AWESOME for solid facts regarding types. There are also some "post apocalyptic survival guides" by type, comics, and there are ebooks on INTJs and INTPs which you can get for free (I've used those for character research). Okay, That's long enough. Thanks for the post!

I've written several INTJs and know a few, like I said, so I find you guys super fascinating. And usually not villains, haha. As a P myself I can't answer that, but yes, Fs are very odd. *shakes head* I /love/ Oddly Developed Types! Their comics are hilarious.

I feel so stalkerish when I'm like, "Oh, You're such-and-such a type? That type is so cool! Hey, can I pester you with questions about your basic psychology because it's so fascinating." :/ But, that said, you ESTPs are fascinating as well. xD Mutual fascination achieved. I'm in love with that website. *shakes head* I've spent way too many hours reading the post-apocalyptic survival things.

I'm an ESTP too, and while I don't meet a lot of people like that, I tend to fall into the rut of making my characters basically the same as me. It is rather hard to put yourself in someone else's mind, but it pays off in the end. :)

As an INTJ, I bow and grin maniacally at you. Though, in our opinion, we're the only ones who /do/ make sense.Anyway.I don't normally take the Myers-Briggs test for my charries, though I recently did for two of them and found out they are ISTJ/FJ and I/ENTJ. So there's a bit of variation, I suppose. Like I said, honestly not sure about the rest of them, but you made a good point about varying personality types. Perhaps I shall try to do that in the future.